


Thirst

by Wanderersdeservebetter



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/F, Pansexual Character, Pansexual Zatanna Zatara, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-20
Updated: 2017-01-20
Packaged: 2018-09-18 18:36:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9397835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wanderersdeservebetter/pseuds/Wanderersdeservebetter
Summary: Just a normal day of training. Right?Or, Zatanna finds an adorable soulmate.





	

Zatanna had never been one for waiting around, and today was no different. 

Today was the same as most of her time in the Cave had been. Ever since she moved in, a routine had established itself and showed no sign of changing. Ever. 

Get up. Eat breakfast with M’gann. Go to school. Come back. Wait for others to show up for training or, more rarely, a mission. Rinse, eat, sleep and repeat.

Needless to say, she was getting dangerously bored. Bored. Out. Of. Her. Mind. And since nine times out of ten it was a training day, and nine time out of every-single friggin-time her sorcery training was solo, she ended up watching the close combat sidekicks spar.

She was leaning against a column in the training room and absently rubbing the small of her back, observing. Today everyone but M’ gann and Kaldur were in attendance. She wasn’t quite sure why she had to attend the close combat training days, but here she was, vaguely interested in watching Robin try to take Black Canary’s feet out from under her. She might’ve been the new kid on the block, but she had really wanted to learn, after her father…

Zatanna sighed and straightened from her slump. Eyeing the sparring match in the center of the cavernous room for another moment, she could feel irritation begin to creep into her good mood. She turned on her her heel and barely managed to keep from marching out of the room and drawing attention to her exit. Even when sparring Robin was a perceptive little shit, and the speedster sitting just off the sparring circle was no slouch either. Unless it came to noticing how the younger boy felt about him, that was. The two were soulmates, but but neither seemed to see that they wanted more than best friendship. 

Zatanna sighed, fondly this time. She was so going to win the bet she and Artemis had going. The Boy Wonder had pent up frustration coming out of his ears, and it showed in his hits.

As she walked, she continued to scratch the small of her back. Her soulmark felt warm, and the words imprinted on her skin were starting to itch. Why did something she tried so hard to ignore keep popping into the forefront of her mind? They weren’t even in English; she had had to get it specially translated from atlantean of all languages.

Zatanna refused to be part of the majority of the population obsessed with finding their soulmate, especially after figuring out that her soulmate could be male, female, or any variation or combination thereof. Hell, they might not even be entirely human, if the Atlantean symbols on her back were anything to go by. She wouldn’t hold her breath for something that would happen or not, and she certainly wouldn’t analyze every single person who happened to say “Are you alright?” to her. It was a part of her daily life after losing her dad.

M’ gann was probably here, somewhere. She was more of a long-distance fighter as well, and if she didn’t have to stand around and pretend to be interested in whatever flippy kick thing Canary was showing Robin, Conner, and Wally, why should Zatanna?

As she turned the corner out of the room, though, she ran smack into Kaldur’s chest, knocking him and the smaller girl slightly to his right into each other. She stumbled back a few steps and flailed as she tried to regain her balance. “Are you alright, Zatanna?” Kaldur’s concerned question had her sighing again. 

“I’m fine, Kaldur,” she tried to smile. “I’m just looking for M’gann. Robin and the others are sparring, and even watching is a reminder of the six ways to Sunday all of you can beat me.” This earned her a laugh from the stranger Kaldur had with him. Zatanna smiled a true smile for the first time that day, and stood a little taller. Stranger was cute, with vibrant blue eyes and auburn hair. She turned questioning eyes on the team leader.

“This is Aquagirl, a new member of the team. I was about to call everyone together, but…”  
“No worries, I’ll find M’gann. Just a minute!” she backed away from the two Atlanteans and turned down the hall to the common areas. She knew she had just been kinda rude, but Aquagirl had been watching her with bottomless eyes and a small smile and a flare of freckles just across her nose...

Her poor heart. Who knew Atlanteans could even have freckles?  
…

She found M’ gann in the common area and figuratively dragged her into the training room. Kaldur had waited, so when they had joined the half circle around him and Aquagirl, he introduced her to the team as his partner and longtime friend. The Team took turns introducing themselves,and the new girl seems to be slightly in awe. Artemis asked for a demonstration, so the little group gravitated toward the fountain on the other side of the cavern. Wally wasted no time putting on a show of hitting on the seemingly oblivious Atlantean, and as Zatanna turned to look at him, she wasn’t surprised that Robin just gritted his teeth and butted in. maybe there was a chance Artemis would win-

Something wet hit Zatanna square in the back, sending her flying off of her feet. She flailed for a moment before hitting the ground with a solid thwack. She groaned, trying to see clearly. Why was she drenched? Everyone else had gone down too, in varying stages of soaked, but Zatanna was the only one still down. She shook her dark hair out of her eyes as they took defensive stances. She muttered something insulting under her breath before reciting an incantation.

“Ehtolc em ni ym mrofinu… “  
Zatanna’s magician costume unfurled around her as she stood, taking in the scene. It seemed like she shouldn't have bothered, though. Everyone had dropped their stances and was gathered around the new girl as she apologised profusely.  
“ I-I didn't realize trying to lift water on the surface would have so little resistance. M-my apologies, Kaldur.” she stammered. Kaldur’s reassurances weren't doing anything. Aquagirl turned her vibrant eyes on Zatanna, the only team member still trying to drop her stance.

“Are you alright?”  
Zatanna felt her soulmark light up with warmth. Zatanna's eyes widened as she took in the smaller girl, forgetting everything around her in one glorious instant of understanding. Certainty filled her voice as she took two steps closer to the girl and said “I don’t think i have ever been better.”

AquaGirl's eyes widened to mirror Zatannas, her hands falling to her sides. Zatanna saw the question before her mouth opened, and turned as she lifted her costume so that the Atlantean could see her native language scrawled across her back, a few inches above her tailbone, presumably in her own handwriting.

“I’m Zatanna, resident magician, and I am soo glad i didn't skip training today. “ Zatanna smiled as she turned back around to meet the smaller girl’s wide, sea blue eyes.  
“ My name is Tula.”


End file.
